Conventionally, as a kind of electronic apparatus, cellular phones and game apparatuses have been provided where a movable housing provided with a liquid crystal display unit, etc., is slidable relative to a stationary housing provided with operations keys and the like. This kind of electronic apparatus includes a built-in slide mechanism that allows the movable housing to slide relative to the stationary housing.
The slide mechanism applied to this electronic apparatus incorporates a spring unit. This slide mechanism moves and urges the movable housing in a closing direction until an operator moves the movable housing to a predetermined position relative to the stationary housing, and urges the movable housing in an opening direction after the operator moves the movable housing to or beyond the predetermined position. This makes it possible to improve the operability of the electronic apparatus.
Furthermore, springs of various structures are used for spring units, among which a spring unit is known that incorporates multiple metal wire springs (see Patent Document 1). According to the spring unit disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to increase a load relative to the amount of displacement, multiple (three) wire springs are arranged at equal intervals and their end portions are connected to a housing of an electronic apparatus using connecting members.